Manage your environment

Hey there.  Hope everyone had a good weekend and good week thusfar. I think I did, but it seems to be a blur right now.  Oh…wait..it’s coming back.  On Saturday, I had to deal with the little one while Steve took Morgan to her Basketball tournament.  They actually came in second (the only team they lost to seems to be a band of gorillas—I’m not kidding…these girls were totally unsportsmanlike, but not necessarily hairy…) and they got trophies.  I was proud of the 9 year old.  She did great.  Adam sort of drove me nuts on Saturday, but I guess that’s par for the course. 

Adam turned 3 on Monday.  I am still wondering how the HECK that happened.  Time really flew. Tuesday morning, however, he denounced the fact that he was three and asked me for more presents this morning.  Nice right? Geezzzzz…..It got better. Tuesday night I had a meeting, so Steve took the kids out to dinner at CiCi’s and then to Yogurt Story for some dessert. Both kids really enjoyed themselves, and ate well.  Adam, however, decided that he was not ready to come home. He wanted to go to Target, Kroger, WalMart, anywhere other than home.  Steve said that he screamed himself into oblivion the whole way home, and continued on after they got back into the house.  He had himself in such a tizzy that he made himself physically SICK.  After that display, and a bath, somehow, all was right with the world again and he went to sleep—without so much as a PEEP out of him until the next morning.  I can only imagine what a treat I am in for this year.  I thought the terrible 2’s were over at 2!!!! I am not sure I can take another year of this stuff.  Can you legally list kids on Craig’s List or eBay?

I am beginning to think that I don’t have a crisis of mojo, but rather SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)….with all the snow and gray days we’ve been having? It wouldn’t surprise me.  I can’t stand the fact that I can’t seem to find my smile!  It’s gotta be around here somewhere.  Maybe once the sun starts shining again, things will get better.  Or…maybe it’s not SAD, but the fact that I have a lot going on and am a bit overwhelmed? We took a 7 Habits course a couple of years back through work, and as part of that we had to define our roles.  I have quite a few roles lately:

       Mom to Morgan & Adam

       Wife to Steve

       Daughter of Marilyn & Roy

       Friend to many…

       Secretary of the PTA for Pecan Creek Elementary School

       Treasurer of the Sisterhood of Congregation Kol Ami

       Grand Motivator of my WW Peeps (which I am FAILING miserably at, mind you!)

       Sr. Financial Analyst at VzB

       Student of my Personal Trainer

       Participant in a couple of fitness challenges here at work (which I am FAILING miserably at, mind you!)

Maybe I need to take a step back, and assess the situation.  Is there too much going on? Not that I have ADD or anything…but maybe it’s just too much.  Does stress have anything to do with my mojo crisis???? I will have to think about that one.  Not having time was one of the things that got me in trouble a long time ago.  Putting myself back on the list helped, but now I am on a BUNCH of lists.  I need to breathe.  Maybe I’ll step back and things will calm down a bit.

I was down another .8 this week, which was sort of a surprise, but again, I’ll take it! In addition, Steve took my measurements again, and I lost another ½ inch off my waist and another ¼ off my hips. All other measures were pretty much the same. This brings my hip/waist total to 22 ½ inches lost.  This accounts for over half of the inches shed since August of 2008.  My waist to hip ratio, which is another risk factor, is .76.  Research shows that people with "apple-shaped" bodies (with more weight around the waist) face more health risks than those with "pear-shaped" bodies who carry more weight around the hips.

The subject of this week’s meeting was making over your weight loss environment.  It’s sort of a way to set yourself up for success.  Look at your pantry and refrigerator. If there are any foods in there that cause issues for you, do something about it.  Some suggestions in class were to move it to the back of the pantry or move to a different refrigerator if you have one.  You can also do a bit of spring cleaning and pitch the items that work against you.

I also have a ton of good filling foods in my pantry. I have been told by many that I have the BEST pantry going.  I have things like:

       Whole wheat pastas

       Flatout breads and La Tortilla Factory tortillas (low POINT® and big flavor!)

       Nuts (almonds, pine nuts, peanut butter)

       Sugar-free all-fruit spreads

       All kinds of canned beans---you name it…I have it!

       Brown rice/wild rice

       Steel cut oats

       Fat free soups and chicken broth

       Canned veggies (in case of emergencies…)

       Canned tomato products of all kinds

       94% fat free mini-bags of popcorn (these get me through snacking emergencies, and are a great POINT® Value!!!)

       Canned fruits packed in their own juice

       No sugar added applesauce packs

       Whole grain cereals

       Canned water chestnuts and canned bamboo shoots; dried mushrooms (all staples for a favorite soup of mine!)

       Canned tuna and canned chicken breast

R U Ready for Success?

Recognize what’s unhelpful

Remove triggers

Replace and Restock

Rearrange your kitchen/tools

My closing quote this week actually came to me this morning. Literally! When I signed onto Outlook this morning, this quote came up on my Plan Plus dashboard.  I liked it, and thought it was appropriate!

"Experience is a good teacher,

but she sends in terrific bills.”

-Minna Antrim

RECIPES

Yummy Cobbler-Like Dessert

This was posted in the meeting room on Monday, and got me intrigued.  Going to try it and let you know how it turns out!

POINTS® Value: 3

Servings: 12

Ingredients:

16 oz frozen berries, your choice

1 box angel food cake mix

12 oz diet lemon-lime soda

Instructions:

·        Spread berries across a 13 x 9 pan sprayed with Pam.

·        Sprinkle cake mix over top and pour soda over all.

·        Gently drag a spoon across to make sure all is wet.

·        Bake 40 – 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Diet Soda Chicken

Here is another that was posted in a meeting room.   Again, lots of uses for diet soda…other than drinking it!!!

POINTS® Value: 4

Servings: 4

Preparation Time: 10 min

Cooking Time: 30  min

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken breast, cut into bites

1 cup ketchup

1 can diet soda (I heard cola or orange work best…)

1 package onion soup mix (optional)

Instructions:

Put all in pot, stir, bringing to boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked through.

Brown Rice Fried Rice

This recipe came to me on the fly when trying to find a nice quick use for some leftover brown rice and veggies that were in the refrigerator this week

POINTS® Value: 3

Servings: 2

Preparation Time: 5 min

Cooking Time: 15 min (give or take)

Level of Difficulty: unbelievably easy!

Ingredients:

	1/2 cup(s) cooked brown rice
	1/3 cup(s) scallion(s)
	1 cup(s) mushroom(s)
	1 oz Boar's Head 42% Lower Sodium Ham, chopped
	1/2 cup(s) Egg Beaters
	1 tsp olive oil

Instructions:

In a 12” skillet or sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add brown rice, scallions, and mushrooms.  Cook until mushrooms are soft and rice is heated through. Add chopped ham and egg beaters to the pan.

Finding the mojo

Well, I think I may have found my mojo.  I thought I had lost it forever, but lo and behold…there it was hiding in the broom closet under the vacuum cleaner.  Still wondering how it got there.  I am still in the “you don’t bring me flowers anymore” stage of my Weight Watchers relationship (as you may recall from a MUCH older issuance, I have a love/hate relationship with Weight Watchers…).  I haven’t been seeing the losses that I had in the past, and I am still fighting an up trend that I encountered back in November. 

I wanted to say thanks to all of you for bearing with me.  It’s frustrating sometimes being the grand motivator, and not feeling the motivation myself.  It’s been a pretty sad start to 2010 for me, and doesn’t seem to be getting any better. This week’s tragedy? Pneumonia.  The wonderful hubby (Steve) was diagnosed with pneumonia yesterday, and I am home with him today making sure he doesn’t do anything that he shouldn’t.  Oy!!!!  Despite this, miraculously, I do feel that my motivation may be coming back though…..

I think we are taking some steps in the right direction this week by upping the cardio and backing off some of the strength training.  On Thursday, Dwayne had me do a series of leg and ab exercises which took about 10—15 minutes and then he had me do a 30 minute calorie-burner session on the elliptical machine. One word-- Sweatball. Wow! Plus, I never knew I had it in me to do 30 minutes on the elliptical!  I think it worked out to about 2 miles and about 200 calories or more, when all was said and done.  Not too shabby.  Hoping that this will kick start things for me.

When trying to find my elusive mojo over the past few months or so, I did try to focus on the positive things going on.  Do you guys realize that since I went back to Weight Watchers in the late summer of 2008, I have NEVER missed a meeting.  I was thinking back on that accomplishment and that’s nothing to sneeze at.  I have attended meetings in:

·         Richardson, TX 
·         Garland, TX 
·         Lewisville, TX 
·         Frisco, TX 
·         Plano, TX 
·         Denton, TX 
·         Charlotte, NC 
·         Casselberry, FL

I think I will call that the Weight Watchers world tour! Too funny…I did want to mention that each Saturday in February, Weight Watchers is doing an open house at all their locations from 1pm – 4pm.  All are welcome (member or not!) Vitalicious (the Vita Tops people) are on hand, and they have some cool giveaways.  I have been busy on Saturdays for the first 3 events, but I think I am going to drag Steve and the kids to one on the 27^th. I think it would be cool to have the family see what I do every Monday during my lunch hour.  They certainly see the results, but it would be nice to have them see what’s been keeping me going all this time.

This week’s meeting focused on eating out, and some planning that you can do to prepare before a night of dining out.  There is an attachment this week that talks about that in more detail. My advice to you is noted below, based on my experiences:

1. Eat something light before going out. This way you won’t be ravenous by the time you get there.
2. If bread is your downfall, ask for the basket to NOT be brought out.
3. Think about starting your meal with a nice broth based soup. Studies show that diners who start their meals with a bowl of soup eat 20% less than those that don’t.
4. Research the restaurant prior to going there. Most restaurants have websites with menus and many also have nutrition information.  If they don’t? Email the company and ask. Can’t hurt.
5. Mental rehearsing. See yourself ordering first, and enjoying what you choose!
6. Ask for a to go box and take half of your entrée home for another meal, or share.
7. Don’t be afraid to order your meal EXACTLY the way you want it. We went to Pei Wei not too long ago, and they were more than happy to give me the Teriyaki Bowl with the sauce on the side, and the vegetables and meat steamed.  It’s okay to ask for food ordered YOUR way.

This week’s closing quote comes from one of my favorite songs of the year 1988.

"In every life we have some trouble;

when you worry you make it double…

Don't worry, be happy...... "

-Bobby McFerrin

GLUTEN FREE CORNER:

Pei Wei offers gluten free options on their menu! http://www.peiwei.com is the website.

RECIPES

Garlicky Udon Noodle Bowl

This soup is wonderful for those cold days we have been experiencing here in North Texas.  A little pork, a little ginger, a little garlic and a little bok choy make this a very nice soup for a light meal!

POINTS® Value: 4

Servings: 4

Preparation Time: 10 min

Cooking Time: 20 min

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

½ pound udon noodles (or you can use whole wheat linguine or spaghetti if you like!)

1 32 oz carton reduced sodium chicken broth

½ pound bok choy, coarsely chopped

½ pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and thinly sliced

2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Instructions:

·        Cook udon according to package directions

·        Meanwhile, combine the broth, bok choy, pork, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic in a large saucepan; bring just to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat and cook until the pork is cooked thorugh and the bok choy is tender, about 10 minutes.

·        Stir in the udon and serve at once

Nutrition Per Serving: (1 ¾ cups): 200 calories, 3 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 36 milligrams cholesterol, 947 milligrams sodium, 24 grams carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, 21 grams protein, 96 milligrams calcium. POINTS® Value 4 per serving

Creamy Orzo Risotto with Butternut Squash

I am an avid risotto lover, so when I stumbled across this recipe, I jumped all over it.  It’s so rich and creamy! A wonderful, light take on classic butternut squash risotto. Thyme sprigs give great flavor but feel free to substitute sage leaves instead.

POINTS® Value: 5 per 3/4 cup serving.

Servings: 4

Preparation Time: 15 min

Cooking Time: 25     min

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

1 spray(s) cooking spray  

2 cup(s) butternut squash, cut into small cubes  

1/2 tsp olive oil  

1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste  

1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter  

1 cup(s) uncooked orzo  

1 1/2 cup(s) water  

1 cup(s) canned chicken broth  

1 tsp thyme, fresh, or 8 whole sprigs (sprigs preferred)  

2 Tbsp fat-free half-and-half  

1/3 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano  

1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste  

1/8 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or to taste   

Instructions:

    * Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat a small rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

    * In a medium bowl, toss squash with oil and salt; spread in a single layer on prepared baking sheet, leaving space between squash cubes. Roast, stirring halfway through, until squash is tender and lightly browned, about 20 to 25 minutes.

    * Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add orzo. Stir constantly until orzo begins to smell toasty, about 3 minutes. Add water, broth and thyme sprigs; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is nearly absorbed, about 15 minutes.

    * Remove thyme sprigs; stir in half-and-half, cheese and roasted squash. Season well with salt and pepper; serve. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving.

Notes:

A medium-sized, 2 pound squash will yield approximately 3 1/2 cups of diced squash cubes.

Peel the outside of a whole butternut squash with a sturdy vegetable peeler. Trim the ends and cut it in half lengthwise. Use an ice cream scoop or melon baller to easily scoop seeds and membrane from each half.

Precut butternut squash is widely available in supermarkets and is a great shortcut for time-pressed cooks. Be sure to trim down the pieces to small, even-sized cubes or slices before roasting to allow for better browning.

Be Your Own Valentine

Hey there all.  I am not sure I am in such a good place this week.  I got word earlier in the week that my friend that lost his wife on the 27^th of January lost his mother on Sunday night (Superbowl Sunday).  I am in a very low place right now, and am having a crisis of motivation.  I am supposed to be the one inspiring you guys, and I fear that I am losing my mojo.  Where do I get inspiration from?  Lately, I need help answering that question. 

I did find some inspiring song lyrics though.  I have grown to love a DJ called Tiesto, and although I can’t seem to find my motivation this week, or truthfully for the last couple of weeks, I will always be there for you, pushing you along your journey.  Perhaps that will help me find my mojo?!?! I feel like Austin Powers!!!  Yeah baby….

…When the big road falls apart
And you think that the feeling will linger
You need somewhere to start
I will be here
And when it all seems to fall apart
You can't breathe
You don't know what you're thinking
You need somewhere to start
I will be here…

Despite my crisis of motivation, I did show a slight loss for the second week in a row.  This week, I was down .4.  Not too shabby I guess.  I am still in the red, but going back in the right direction. During one of my workouts this week, Dwayne reminded me of how far I’ve come since August 2008.  He also said that I inspire him.  That blew me away.  He went on to say that I remind him of why he loves his job so much. He said that seeing me persevere and show consistency through my workouts makes him feel good about his job. To hear him say that made me feel good. 

Please bear with me. I’ll be fine, and I am sure I will be back to myself soon.  Sometimes it just takes awhile.  Just know this: I AM NOT GIVING UP. I embarked on this journey for a reason, and I will continue on until I get to my destination—however long that takes.  I also won’t quit once I get there.  I made serious lifestyle changes that I intend to keep. 

Coach Dwayne provided me the quote below, which I really liked. I wanted to pass it along to you. 

"Motivation is a fire from within.

If someone else tries to light that fire under you,

                           chances are it will burn very briefly"

-Stephen Covey

The meeting today focused on being your own valentine. Take care of yourself, and do nice things for yourself.  The challenge? For the next 10 weeks, mark you calendar to attend your meeting. Make it a priority.  Since I already do that…the second option is to reread your Week 4 book which deals with Habits of Successful Members. Who knows? Maybe my motivation is hiding in Week 4????

Baked Eggs – Italian Style

This reminds me of a dish that I used to make quite often—‘eggs in purgatory’. No, I’m not Italian, but I so loved that dish.  Somewhere between a baked frittata and pastaless lasagna, this casserole is delicious with arugula salad or mixed greens.

POINTS® Value: 5

Servings: 8

Preparation Time: 8 min

Cooking Time: 18 min

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

4 cup(s) marinara sauce, store-bought  

1/2 cup(s) basil, fresh, chopped (do not use dried basil)  

8 large egg(s)  

1 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano  

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes   

Instructions:

·        Position the rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.

·        Pour the marinara sauce into a 9- X 13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle the chopped basil over the sauce.

·        Use the bottom of a small custard cup or a similarly sized glass to make 8 rounded indentations in the marinara sauce. Crack an egg into each of these indentations.

·        Sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano and red pepper flakes over the tops of the eggs. Bake until the egg whites are set, the yolks are a bit runny and the cheese has melted, about 18 minutes. Serve by scooping eggs and sauce into individual bowls, using a large spoon. Yields about 1 egg and 1/3 cup sauce per serving.

Notes:

Eggs baked in the oven offer a wonderful creaminess, almost better than those cooked on top of the stove. However, the oven's constant, ambient heat can toughen the eggs quite a bit — so a little fat (as here, in the shredded cheese) protects the delicate whites and keeps them tender.

Elissa’s Awesome Turkey Chili

This is a perfect chili for North Texas’ weather situation lately.  This was based on a recipe I found on www.epicurious.com a couple of years back.  As per usual, I lightened up the recipe and made it my own.  This chili is great over whole-wheat elbows, making a nice hearty dish for the cold weather!  This chili can be prepared up to three days ahead. Refrigerate until cold, then cover. Reheat over low heat before serving.  Enjoy.

POINTS® Value: 6 per 1 cup serving. If you use less turkey or less beans, adjust POINTS® accordingly!

Servings: Makes an 8 quart pot of chili…approximately 12-16 cups of chili

Preparation Time: 15 min

Cooking Time: 90 min

Level of Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil  

1 1/2 cup(s) onion(s), chopped  

8 clove(s) garlic clove(s), chopped  

5 Tbsp chili powder  

1 Tbsp McCormick Ground cumin  

1 tsp ground basil  

1/2 tsp ground oregano  

1/2 tsp dried thyme  

28 oz canned crushed tomatoes  

14 1/2 oz fat-free chicken broth  

1 can(s) or bottle(s) light beer  

6 oz canned tomato paste  

3 (15-0z) cans kidney beans, Use mixed --- light, dark, white or black!

1 can (s) Bush's Chili Starter - Mild  (or a can of seasoned chili beans)

2 1/2 pound(s) Turkey, ground, 93% lean/7% fat, raw   

Instructions:

Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic. Saute until onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Add ground turkey and saute until brown, breaking up meat with back of spoon, about 5 minutes

Add chili powder, cumin, basil, oregano and thyme. Stir 2 minutes. Mix in crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, beer and tomato paste. Simmer until thickened to desired consistency, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, about 1 hr. 15 minutes. Mix in beans. Simmer 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

Pear Oatmeal Crisp

This recipe was in the Weight Watchers Shortcuts cookbook, which came out last year.   This is a good quick versatile dessert that can be made with canned pears, canned apricots or canned apples packed in juice.  Any way you make it, it’s wonderful!

Prep 15 minutes

Cook 20 Minutes

Yields 6 servings at a POINTS® Value of 4 per serving

Ingredients:

·        ½ cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

·        7 tablespoons packed brown sugar

·        ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

·        2 (16-ounce)cans sliced pears in juice, drained, with ½ cup of the juice reserved

·        2 tablespoons butter, melted

·        1 (1 1/4-ounce) package cinnamon and spice instant oatmeal mix (I used Cinnamon Roll, since that’s what I had)

 Instructions:

1.       Preheat the oven to 425

 2.       Mix 1 tablespoon of the flour, 4 tablespoons of the brown sugar, and the ginger in an 8-inch square baking dish.  Add the pears and the reserved pear juice, stirring until blended.  Cover the dish with plastic wrap, then pick a few holes in the plastic.  Microwave on High until the filling begins to bubble, 4-5 minutes stirring once halfway through cooking.

 3.       Meanwhile, combine the butter and the remaining 3 tablespoons brown sugar in a bowl. Add the oatmeal mix and the remaining ½ cup flour; stir until crumbly.  Sprinkle evenly over the filling. Transfer the dish to the oven and bake until the topping is golden, about 15 minutes.  Serve warm.

 Nutrition Information per serving: (1/2 cup); 225 Cal, 4 g Fat, 3g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 10 mg Chol, 82 mg Sod, 46 g Carb, 3 g Fib, 2 g Prot, 47 mg Calc, POINTS value: 4.